Waterloo

Fought on 18th June 1815, the Battle of Waterloo is considered the most famous ever fought by the British Army.

Looking towards La Haye Sainte from the Lion Mound

Then known as The Great War, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars brought almost 23 years of uninterrupted war to Europe and beyond.

Having celebrated peace in 1814, the victors were surprised by the return of Napoleon from exile on Elba and his triumphant march into Paris in 1815. The allies hastily gathered their armies for one last thrust into France.

A sunken lane on the battlefield today

Napoleon struck first, seeking to divide the allied armies and occupy Brussels. Fighting just South of Brussels, the combined allied forces of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, comprising units from many countries, outwitted and finally outfought their French foes.

The outcome indirectly led to the creation of the British Empire and kept Britain out of continental European warfare for 99 years.

Hougoumont on a peaceful day

On 18th June 2015 the 200th Anniversary was commemorated. Commemorated rather than celebrated, in tribute to the thousands of men and horses, of both sides, who died or suffered wounds in the space of a few hours on such a concentrated field of battle.

If you would like to know more, do join the Waterloo Association. This fine body exists to promote education and appreciation of the Napoleonic Wars, preserve and safeguard the Waterloo battlefield, and to encourage understanding and research of the 1815 campaign. You can read more about the Waterloo Associationhere.

You can also find the best books here, and you can view what we believe to be the very finest and entertaining tours of the Waterloo Battlefield and Waterloo Campaign bu visiting Campaigns & Culture here.